Two of a Kind
by Pharaohs Queen
Summary: DISCONTINUED


A/n: this takes place 2 years after 'The Date' and 7 years after 'Requiem's Awakening'. READ THOSE FIRST!!!!!!!! **Does contain some spoilers for 'Requiem's Awakening.'** You have been warned.

Two of a Kind

Chapter 1

The sun rose gently over the mountains, staining the snow and the sky above all different shades of red and pink. The snow on the trees glittered, sending sparkles of light in every direction.

April was sitting up in bed, watching the display out her window. Chaud was laying next to her, fast asleep, his bare chest rising slowly up and down.

April slipped quietly out of bed, not wanting to wake up her husband. Her feet made little rustling sounds as she walked over to the window to look at the snow beyond, her hands wrapped around her stomach. She watched the late October sun rise completely, then turned and walked over to Chaud's side of the bed.

She kneeled next to him for a moment, smoothing his bangs out of his eyes and watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful she hated to have to wake him.

Reluctantly, it seemed, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Good morning, Mr. President." She said.

Last night, Chaud's father had officially retired, handing the presidency of Blaze Corp. to his only son. There had been a big party, lasting until midnight.

Chaud's eyes fluttered open. "You're not gonna start calling me that are you?" He asked, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

April stood up and sat next to him on the bed. "What, you don't like it?"

He shook his head. "It sounds too formal coming from you."

She laughed and leaned closer to him. He leaned forward also, expecting a kiss.

April grabbed him around the neck, pulling him in and ruffling his hair. "Of course it does." She let go off his head, and then slid back off the bed.

"Come on Mr. President. You have a busy day ahead of you."

Chaud groaned.

---

"May I ask where you are going, Mrs. Blaze?"

Mine (pron: Meen-ay) held up April's coat for her as she slid her arms in.

"I told you, Mine—call me April. And I have a doctor's appointment to go to right now."

Mine watched April button the coat up to her neck, then her eyes widened in understanding. "Is it for…?"

April smiled warmly. "I certainly hope so."

Mine cocked her head to the side. "Why aren't you taking Nocturne along?"

April ignored the question. "Wish me luck!"

She climbed into the limo and Mine shut the door, waving as the vehicle disappeared down the long driveway.

_I'll pray for you, April._

---

Chaud sat with his father in his office. Both his and April's PETs were resting on a desk, the Navi's inside looking just as anxious as Chaud. Mine was scurrying around the edge of the room, dusting the vases.

A light rap came at the door. Chaud got up and all but ran to the door. Standing in the hallway, looking subdued was April. He ushered her in, closing the door behind him. They stopped in the middle of the room.

"What is it April?" Chaud asked, grabbing April by the shoulders, urgency in his voice. "What news do you have?"

"Calm down and let her speak, son." Said Mr. Blaze, sitting by the desk that dominated the room.

April looked up at Chaud, her eyes clouded over, not focused on anything. She mumbled, unable to speak clearly in her dazed state.

"Say that again, more clearly please." Chaud didn't take his hands off her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

April blinked, and the mist cleared.

"Chaud," she said, her voice carrying around the silent room. "You're going to be a father."

Mine squealed, Mr. Blaze gasped, and Chaud froze, his eyes locked on April's.

"Me…? A… father?"

April nodded slowly.

Mine was dancing around the room, brandishing the feather duster like a baton. Mr. Blaze patted his son on the shoulder. "Congratulations children. I wish you luck." And with that, he walked out of the room. Mine danced out after him.

April pulled Chaud onto a couch, and she sat next to him. "The doctor said something else, Chaud." She leaned over and whispered in his ear. Chaud's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, and his jaw dropped in shock.

"Twins?"

---

A sense of excitement permeated Blaze Manor. As the months wore on, the weather got colder, and April's belly grew. Early on, Nocturne complained to April.

"Why didn't you take me with you?"

April held her PET in her rapidly shrinking lap, rubbing her belly with her free hand.

"Well… I don't know… It's just a female thing, I guess… We find out first, and then tell all the men later… And besides, you were helping Chaud and Protoman. I didn't want to interrupt you."

Nocturne sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. But…" he stopped.

"But what?"

Nocturne held his hand against the PET screen, holding it right over where one of the babies would be. "This may seem a bit silly, but… but I wish that I had the chance to hold your children, just once. I want to know what it feels like to hold a new life in your hands…"

April smiled down at him. "You never know what will happen. But I'll see what I can do."

---

A couple of more months passed. April grew larger. But the household was more worried than cheerful.

For April had fallen sick.

For weeks, she lay bedridden, sweating, pale, and at times, gasping for air. Doctors and nurses constantly surrounded her. Chaud and Nocturne never left her side. A stream of visitors came often: Lan and Maylu, their Navis, Dr. Hikari, Dingo and Tomahawkman, Chaud's father, and Dr. Cossack even managed enough strength to visit April once a day.

Late one night, April's fever had subsided a bit, Chaud was sitting next to her, brushing her hair back from her sweaty face.

"Chaud…" She whispered. He instantly drew closer.

"What is it, April?"

She grabbed his hand. "You need… to promise… me…."

Chaud's mind went to the worst thoughts. "Promise you what?"

"Nocturne and… Protoman… are going… to hold… our children…"

Chaud's emotions went from horror to relief to confusion within several seconds. "What?"

"Promise me… you'll find… a way… for that to… happen…"

"But, April—"

"Promise me." She gripped his hand even tighter.

"Alright." He kissed her forehead. "But only if you and the babies get better soon."

April nodded, her face relaxed, and she fell asleep.

Chaud resumed stroking her hair. "I will find a way, don't you worry April."

---

April grew better, and bigger. She was still bedridden from the illness, but she and the babies were healthy. As March drew to a close, Chaud immersed himself in finding a way to make his wife's wish come true.

At night, he and April would talk about names and feel the babies move around. They would kick and move their little hands around often, sometimes hitting April in the stomach or diaphragm.

It was the end of May when a scream reverberated around the house.

"CHAUD!!!!!"

He leapt out of his chair and abandoned the meeting, running up the stairs and into his and April's room.

She was halfway out of bed, holding tightly to her PET. Mine was running around the room in a panic, throwing things into a suitcase and trying to get April back in bed at the same time.

"Please April! You must lie down!"

"I have to get to the hospital Mine! IT'S TIME!!!"

"But it hasn't been 9 months yet!"

"Twins come early!"

Chaud ran inside and slammed the suitcase shut then picked April up in a cradle hold. "Forget the suitcase Mine! Bring it later! Go and get the fastest car we have ready! We'll take April." She nodded and ran out of the room.

Chaud walked quickly after her, trying not to jostle April and talking soothingly to her the whole way. "You're gonna be alright April… just keep breathing…"

Out the front door, Mine was waiting, revving the engine as Chaud came out with April. They slid into the back seat and Mine took off like a bullet, weaving around other cars on the street, and turning tightly to make shortcuts. Halfway through the wild ride, April said to Chaud: "I would rather you drive next time, please."

Chaud laughed.

They finally pulled up to the hospital and Chaud carried April inside. At the lobby desk, a nurse looked up at them, them pulled out a wheelchair without saying a word. Chaud placed April in it, and followed the nurse, who was calling a doctor, down the hallway.

---

"It's alright Mrs. Blaze. Breathe in… Breathe out… now, PUSH!"

April screamed, squeezing Chaud's hand so tightly he thought she was going to break his fingers.

"Good, good… Breathe in… Breathe out… PUSH!"

April screamed again. Nocturne and Protoman cringed, both wanting to cover their ears to shut out April's pain, but neither did.

A new sound entered the room. It rose beyond the beeping of machines and April's antagonized screams and Chaud's calming words.

A baby started crying.

Chaud pulled his eyes away from April for the first time that day and looked at the small child the doctor was holding up.

"It's a healthy little boy, Mr. Blaze."

Chaud watched in awe as the doctor handed the boy to one of the nurses, then turn his attention back to April.

"One more push, Mrs. Blaze. Breathe in… Breathe out…"

April grunted and another scream escaped her lips, blending with the cries of another newborn.

"A healthy, beautiful girl." The doctor said, holding up another small child.

A nurse handed the boy, now wrapped in a blanket and wearing a small hat, to April. "What will his name be?"

She looked over at Chaud, who cocked his head in thought.

"Edward Lan Blaze." He said.

The nurse nodded and wrote it down. Another nurse brought her the blanket-wrapped girl and put her in April's other arm. "What will her name be?"

"Iris May Blaze." she whispered, and the nurse wrote it down.

April stared at the two children in her arms. Their heads were slowly moving around, their eyes opened slightly, getting used to the light.

Chaud knelt beside her, holding up both PETs. Nocturne and Protoman were watching them in amazement.

"How do you feel, April?" Protoman said, keeping his eyes on little Edward.

A small smile alighted her lips, her eyes focused on her daughter. "I'm in pain, but… I feel like… like all the pain was worth it."

Chaud put April's PET on the pillow next to her, then held his hands out. "May I?" April handed him Edward. Chaud gently held the boy, grinning sunshine all over his son.

April was talking softly to Iris. "Hello little one… Ahh… Hello… My little Iris May…"

"April?"

She looked over at Nocturne. He was looking very depressed. "What's the matter?"

"What's it like? Holding a baby? One you created and gave life to?"

April looked back at the small life in her arms. "There are no words, Nocturne" A tiny hand poked out of the blanket and wrapped itself around April's finger. "But you will be able to find out soon."

Nocturne perked up. "You mean…?"

"I'm not exactly sure of the details, but I'm sure that Chaud's got something worked out."

Nocturne smiled and they both looked back at the baby.

"She has your eyes, you know."

* * *

There!! Nine months in one chapter. I've never covered that much time in so little space!

Please note: I have never been through labor myself. I go off what I've read, seen in movies (in Sex Ed)(shudder), and my own mother's personal account. I also have 4 little brothers and sisters, so I know what it's like to hold a newborn. (Yes I am the oldest)

Can you tell how unoriginal I am with names? If I'm not in the right mood, it isn't easy to think of names…. --'

Again… it's 12:30 in the morning…. Over Labor day weekend… (That's no excuse!)

And I'm eating sunflower seeds. Yum…

Next time!

Yes, Nocturne and Protoman get to hold the babies. And we meet many new characters that are not new!! YAY!!!!

I want peppermint patties…. Mmmm…chocolate….

**Love me and review please**


End file.
